State group head says Sturbridge needs qualified chief

Saturday

May 25, 2013 at 6:01 AMMay 25, 2013 at 6:19 AM

By James F. Russell CORRESPONDENT

Police Chief Thomas Ford is not qualified to function as the fire chief, according to the president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. Nor has the town administrator or selectmen requested that the state fire marshal “delegate” fire chief status to the town's police chief, who was recently named fire chief by the town, the fire marshal said.

Meanwhile, residents this week submitted a petition to town administrator Shaun Suhoski saying he must “appoint a Fire Chief who is qualified.”

And the notion advanced by Selectmen Chairman Thomas Creamer that fire chiefs from surrounding communities will pick up the slack “is not a solution,” FCAM President George Rogers said in an interview. Mr. Rogers is fire chief in Bridgewater.

Despite safety concerns, the Massachusetts fire marshal says the state cannot assume operational command and control of a community's fire department.

Contacted Friday, Chief Ford spoke about the matters but declined to comment for the record. Calls placed to Mr. Suhoski and Mr. Creamer were not returned.

“They do not have a qualified or certified person in charge. It is more to it than just administratively. You need to have someone trained and experienced,” Chief Rogers said in an interview.

If enacted, House Bill 2197 would mandate state credentialing and certification for all fire chiefs.

The Massachusetts Fire Service Commission would be in charge of reviewing prospective fire chiefs, according to the legislation. The governor appoints the fire service commissioners.

“Selectman Creamer made comments about command and control, and mutual aid” as a way to keep the residents of town safe. “Turn back your clock to the tornado” of June 1, 2011, Chief Rogers said. “You cannot rely on your neighbors” during a catastrophic event when everyone's resources are severely challenged.

“You have to stand on your own. You have to have people in place to keep your community safe,” he said. Mr. Creamer's suggestion that area fire chiefs are adequate “is not a solution.”

In a recent interview, Mr. Creamer told the Telegram & Gazette that “in terms of command and control at multiple alarm fires, our current mutual aid agreement, which provides on-scene assistance from area fire chiefs, has acquitted itself quite well.”

Contacted Thursday, the state fire marshal was asked if his office could assume operational command and control of a municipal fire department.

“No,” Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said. In addition, the town has not asked the marshal to designate Chief Ford as Sturbridge fire chief, he said.

“There is nothing within the statute that allows the state fire marshal to assume control of a municipal fire department,” Marshal Coan said, adding, “Sadly, there is not an ability to ensure that the individual who holds the rank of fire chief that we would consider qualified to carry out the responsibility.”

While the fire marshal approves fire chief appointments made by municipalities, the marshal has no statutory authority to reject unqualified candidates.

That would change if House Bill 2197, sponsored by state representative Timothy J. Toomey Jr., D-Cambridge, is enacted, according to Chief Rogers.

The legislation requires cities and towns to appoint only individuals who have been state certified and grants the fire marshal new authority to reject unqualified municipal appointees.

Only those “certified by the Massachusetts Fire Service Commission” are qualified to serve as fire chief. “The State Fire Marshal shall not issue a delegation of authority to any person named as fire chief or chief engineer who, at the time of their application for such delegation, has not submitted a proper certificate issued by the Massachusetts Fire Service Commission,” language in the bill states.

Sturbridge selectmen and the town administrator appointed Police Chief Ford to also serve as the fire chief in April. Former chief Leonard E. Senecal retired after a consultant did a critical study of the Fire Department. Selectmen and the town administrator took the action despite warnings from Chief Rogers that it was a bad idea to place an unqualified person in the job.

The petition filed this week with the town clerk, and signed by 38 residents, told Mr. Suhoski that bylaws created by “Town Meeting requires you to appoint a Fire Chief who is qualified by experience and training to do the job.”

“Unfortunately, the Police Chief does not have the experience, training or time to be both the Fire Chief and Police Chief,” the petition states.

According to Chief Rogers, 165 fire chiefs across the state have submitted their credentials and have earned proper certification from the Massachusetts Fire Service Commission.

Chief Rogers has also been in frequent contact with Chief Ford and Mr. Suhoski — and continues to urge the town administrator to appoint someone qualified as fire chief. The names of two retired chiefs were submitted by him to the town administrator.

“I am very aware of the situation in the town of Sturbridge. As leaders of the fire service, it is our responsibility to be sure our citizens our protected,” Chief Rogers said. “We are working with the Sturbridge town administrator — politics can't get in the middle of it.”

Fire Marshal Coan said using a police chief as a fire chief is asking for trouble.

“When I look to the head of the fire department, I expect to find a qualified professional in fire and emergency services management,” he said. “The public safety director model serves neither law enforcement nor the fire service well, as each position requires specific education, training and experience to provide citizens with the maximum level of public safety.”